Howitt's The Miss Cushmans (1846)
Dublin Core
Title
Howitt's The Miss Cushmans (1846)
Subject
Cushman, Charlotte Saunders, 1816-1876
Muspratt, Susan Cushman, 1822-1859
Howitt, Mary, 1799-1888
Family
Gender Norms
Gossip--Published
Praise
Reputation
Social Acceptance
Description
In this biographical article, Mary Howitt recounts events from Charlotte Cushman's life and emphasizes her personal virtues, her talent on stage and the struggles she faced in her career. She describes Cushman's long and painful struggle to success, defending her for the choices she made, and admiring her as an actress and an individual. In London, the "letters of introduction" did not help Cushman in the beginning.
Apparently, Howitt felt the need to comment on CC playing male roles: "And here let a few words be said on a subject which has excited some remarks, and as we think needlessly, to Miss Cushman’s disadvantage—we mean on her taking male parts. We can assert it as a fact, and it is a fact full of generosity and beautiful affection, that it is solely on her sister's account that she has done so. By taking herself the male character, for which she was in many cases admirably suited, she was enabled to obtain the first female character for her sister; there being, as is well known, no plays written in which two prominent female characters, are found."
The article is sold as a memoir at the theater where Cushman is performing.
A full text is available via HathiTrust.
Apparently, Howitt felt the need to comment on CC playing male roles: "And here let a few words be said on a subject which has excited some remarks, and as we think needlessly, to Miss Cushman’s disadvantage—we mean on her taking male parts. We can assert it as a fact, and it is a fact full of generosity and beautiful affection, that it is solely on her sister's account that she has done so. By taking herself the male character, for which she was in many cases admirably suited, she was enabled to obtain the first female character for her sister; there being, as is well known, no plays written in which two prominent female characters, are found."
The article is sold as a memoir at the theater where Cushman is performing.
A full text is available via HathiTrust.
Credit
New York Public LibraryCreator
Howitt, Mary, 1799-1888
Source
The People’s Journal, Vol. 2
Date
1846-07-18
Language
English
Type
Reference
Article Item Type Metadata
Text
THE MISS CUSHMANS.
BY MARY HOWITT.
[...]
It is because we recognise in Miss Cushman an approach to our ideal of the greatly pure in art that we regard her as one of its noblest representatives [...] there is in her own character great truth and earnestness [...] we are enabled, without violating private confidence, to make the public so far acquainted with them as is necessary for our little narrative [...] And here let a few words be said on a subject which has excited some remarks, and as we think needlessly, to Miss Cushman’s disadvantage—we mean on her taking male parts. We can assert it as a fact, and it is a fact full of generosity and beautiful affection, that it is solely on her sister's account that she has done so. By taking herself the male character, for which she was in many cases admirably suited, she was enabled to obtain the first female character for her sister; there being, as is well known, no plays written in which two prominent female characters, are found. Since then they have visited together all the principal towns in the three kingdoms, and everywhere, whilst their distinguished talent is acknowledged by the public at large, their personal accomplishments, and their qualities of heart and mind, win for them the firmest friends.
BY MARY HOWITT.
[...]
It is because we recognise in Miss Cushman an approach to our ideal of the greatly pure in art that we regard her as one of its noblest representatives [...] there is in her own character great truth and earnestness [...] we are enabled, without violating private confidence, to make the public so far acquainted with them as is necessary for our little narrative [...] And here let a few words be said on a subject which has excited some remarks, and as we think needlessly, to Miss Cushman’s disadvantage—we mean on her taking male parts. We can assert it as a fact, and it is a fact full of generosity and beautiful affection, that it is solely on her sister's account that she has done so. By taking herself the male character, for which she was in many cases admirably suited, she was enabled to obtain the first female character for her sister; there being, as is well known, no plays written in which two prominent female characters, are found. Since then they have visited together all the principal towns in the three kingdoms, and everywhere, whilst their distinguished talent is acknowledged by the public at large, their personal accomplishments, and their qualities of heart and mind, win for them the firmest friends.
Archive
NYPL, Stead Collection
Location
London, UK
Geocode (Latitude)
51.5073219
Geocode (Longitude)
-0.1276474
Social Bookmarking
Geolocation
Collection
Citation
Howitt, Mary, 1799-1888, “Howitt's The Miss Cushmans (1846),” Archival Gossip Collection, accessed April 19, 2024, https://www.archivalgossip.com/collection/items/show/41.